[ Funai Soken Group x Kansai University] Cultivating the next generation of leaders who will drive "sustainable growth" from Osaka

Funai Soken Holdings Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President Group CEO : Takayuki Nakatani) and Kansai University (Location: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture; President: Tomoyuki Takahashi) have launched a practical education program through industry-academia collaboration called "Sustainable Growth Company Journey ( sustainable growth Company Exploration Project)."
This program, implemented as part of the "Osaka Social Impact Project (OSIP*1)" promoted by Kansai University in collaboration with Osaka Metropolitan University, aims to equip students with practical skills required in Society through Project-Based Learning (PBL) using corporate management challenges as case studies. Looking ahead to the full participation of international students, the program will incorporate multicultural co-learning where Japanese and international students study together, fostering global talent capable of tackling Society issues.
Kansai University's Faculty of Commerce, which upholds "Practical Application of Learning" as its educational philosophy, and Funai Soken Group , which has " Sustainable Growth for More Companies " as its purpose, will collaborate on this project, leveraging their respective strengths, with the aim of nurturing "changemakers" who will transform future Society from Osaka and creating new Society value.

*1 OSIP: This project is a collaboration between Kansai University and Osaka Metropolitan University and was selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Support Project for the Formation of Multicultural Co-educational Campuses for Creating Social Impact." Based in Osaka, it aims to cultivate "changemakers," leaders who will transform the next generation of Society , through the practice of multicultural co-education. Homepage: https://osip.jp/about/

Background of this project

Currently, companies are strongly required to not only pursue profits but also to achieve both sustainable growth and Society contribution. In an era of rapid change and high uncertainty, the existence of " sustainable growth companies" that continue to grow strongly while solving Society issues is indispensable for shaping the future of Society . Furthermore, in order to accelerate the emergence of such companies, it is essential to cultivate leaders who not only understand management theory but also possess the "entrepreneurial spirit" to lead change in the field.
Against this backdrop, Funai Soken Group and Kansai University will implement a practical education program through industry-academia collaboration.
Funai Soken Group has adopted " Sustainable Growth for More Companies " as its purpose and has been supporting the sustainable growth of medium-sized and small businesses. In this project, we will return that knowledge to education and aim to cultivate the next generation of talent through hands-on experience in companies.
Meanwhile, Kansai University is promoting education centered on multicultural co-learning as part of OSIP. This project is the first multicultural co-learning type PBL implemented by the Faculty of Commerce as a regular course that awards credits, and through collaboration with Funai Soken Group , a leading company in the Kansai region, it will be developed as a new educational model that tackles Society issues by combining diverse values.

Objectives of this project

This project, themed around " sustainable growth ," aims to cultivate students' ability to tackle Society issues while they learn practically in real-world corporate settings. By confronting the real management challenges faced by companies and collaborating with peers who hold diverse values, the project aims to nurture "changemakers" who can transform Society for the better.
Furthermore, this project embodies the philosophy of OSIP. Through multicultural co-learning where Japanese and international students study together, they will acquire a global perspective and entrepreneurship, while companies, universities, and students work together to create new value from Osaka.
Specifically, it is based on the following three elements:

• Combining practice and theory:
This program connects theoretical learning from university with real-world business applications, allowing students to practically acquire the secrets to achieving sustainable growth.

• Development of multifaceted business analysis skills:
Through our unique educational method, "Dual Engine," we cultivate advanced insights from a management consulting perspective.

• Developing global talent through multicultural collaborative learning:
With a view to the full-scale participation of international students in the future, we will develop a distinctive industry-academia collaboration program centered on multicultural co-education where Japanese and international students learn together. This year, we will implement a model educational program and use it to further develop the program in the future.

Features of this program
Fieldwork based on on-site experience:
We will visit and analyze the sites (factories, stores, etc.) of our partner companies to experience Society business firsthand.
- Direct suggestions to the companies being visited:
This is an active curriculum where participants present their "recommendations for sustainable growth" to the heads of the companies they visit at Funai Soken Group Osaka headquarters.

Implementation schedule and participating companies for fieldwork

Thursday, June 4, 2026: Project presentation and team building
June 18, 2026 (Thursday): 1st Fieldwork Session (Current Situation Analysis and Field Research)
July 2, 2026 (Thursday): 2nd Fieldwork Session (Developing and Refining Solutions)
July 30, 2026 (Thu): Results Report Meeting

[Companies where fieldwork was conducted]
We will visit Kansai-based companies that have endorsed this project and are among the past recipients of the " sustainable growth Growth Company Award*2".
Liberty Co., Ltd. (Used car and mini-vehicle sales and repair business / Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)
i-plug Co., Ltd. (Operator of job-hunting services for new graduates, etc. / Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) and others. *See attached document for details.

*2 sustainable growth Company Award: This is a corporate award sponsored by Funai Soken Holdings Inc. and operated by Funai Consulting Inc. The first award, the Great Company Award, was held in 2010, and the 17th award will be held in 2026. sustainable growth Companies are defined as companies that have achieved sustainable growth and aim to be entities that can change their region and industry and have a positive impact on Society and the nation. These companies are selected and awarded. Through the award Initiatives , we aim to support the sound development of corporations, organizations, and individuals that can make a significant contribution to Society , and to contribute to the progress of Society .

Future prospects

This year, the program will be implemented as a regular course in the Faculty of Commerce at Kansai University, and a program operation model will be established. Based on the results, the program will be developed into a multicultural collaborative industry-academia program that includes the full participation of international students and cooperation with partner universities overseas, and will also be expanded to other faculties within the university.

Messages from both representatives
Takayuki Nakatani President and Group CEO Funai Soken Holdings Inc.
"We are delighted to be able to work with Kansai University in Osaka, the birthplace of our company, to cultivate future leaders under the purpose of ' Sustainable Growth for More Companies sustainable growth companies, is an extremely meaningful co-creation that will combine theory and practice to produce changemakers from Osaka who will transform future Society . We are confident that this collaboration will lead to further revitalization of the Kansai economy and the creation of new Society value."

Tomoyuki Takahashi, President of Kansai University
"This project Initiatives the philosophy of 'OSIP,' which our university promotes. Working alongside companies, students will confront real-world business challenges and collaborate with peers who hold diverse values, leading to practical learning that cannot be obtained solely in the classroom. As the first step in the multicultural collaborative PBL program implemented as a regular course by the Faculty of Commerce, we hope this project will contribute to nurturing change-makers who will transform future Society from Osaka. Furthermore, we hope that this Initiatives will develop into a new model of industry-academia collaboration and multicultural education at Kansai University."

That's all.

Contact Us regarding this matter
Funai Soken Holdings Inc. Department, Public Relations & Branding Team pub@funaisoken.co.jp
Kansai University, General Planning Office, Public Relations Division kouhou@ml.kandai.jp

Attachment
Implementation schedule and program progress
This program, consisting of four sessions, allows students to combine theory and practice to tackle real-world management challenges. As of July 14th, the first three sessions have been successfully completed, and the students are deepening their discussions in teams based on their insights gained in the field.

Session 1: June 4, 2026 (Thu) 15:00~18:00 [実施済]
Theme: Kick-off (Project presentation and team building)
Venue: Funai Soken Group Osaka Headquarters
Content: The program orientation and explanation of the companies where students would be doing fieldwork were conducted. The students were divided into two teams, the "Liberty Team" and the "i-plug Team," and each group developed an initial provisional business plan in response to the management challenges presented by each company.

Second session: June 18, 2026 (Thu) 15:00~18:00 [実施済]
Theme: Deep Dive (Current Situation Analysis and Field Research)
Venue: On-site locations of each company being visited (factories, stores, offices, etc.)
Content: The first field trip took place. Each team visited their assigned company and thoroughly inspected and analyzed the front lines of business. Through interviews with management and employees, they conducted research to uncover the essence of the challenges.

Episode 3: July 2, 2026 (Thu) 15:00~18:00 [実施済]
Theme: Ideation (Developing and refining solutions)
Venue: On-site locations of each company being visited (factories, stores, offices, etc.)
Content: This was the second field work session. Based on the results of the previous field research, each team presented their solutions (ideas) to the company. With enthusiastic feedback from a field perspective, they refined their plans for the final proposal.

Episode 4: July 30, 2026 (Thu) 15:00~18:00 [実施予定]
Theme: Final Pitch (Presentation of Results)
Venue: Funai Soken Group Osaka Headquarters
Content: Final presentation. Participants will directly present their "recommendations for sustainable growth," derived from two fieldwork sessions, to the heads of the companies they visited, competing to showcase their achievements.

[Companies visited for this fieldwork]
<2021 Performance Improvement Award Winner (Liberty Co., Ltd.)>
Company Name: Liberty Holdings Co., Ltd.
Industry: Used car and light vehicle sales and repair
Head Office: 30-8 Yokoodori Shibafu, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Representative: Koji Hasuo, President
Established: March 1997 (founded in March 1996)
Capital: 83.25 million yen
Net sales : 59.8 billion yen (Group consolidated/Fiscal year ending February 2026)
Number of employees: 1,125 (Group consolidated/as of April 2026)
URL: https://www.libertynet.jp/

Points to note during the inspection:
1. Analyzing "High-Profit, High-Growth" Business Models in Mature Industries
In the mature automotive sales industry, how did this company achieve such rapid growth, reaching consolidated group Net sales 59.8 billion yen (as of February 2026)? We will examine its unique business model (value chain), which vertically integrates "sales, vehicle inspections, body repair, and insurance," and which is at the heart of its success.
Synergy for Students: We aim to gain a deep understanding, through hands-on experience, of how "cross-selling" and "maximizing LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)," learned in the classroom, are systematized in real-world settings and generate revenue.
2. Innovating Customer Experience (CX) through "Community-Based Approach x DX"
The brand of this company as a "leading Kyoto company" is supported by its deep connections with each and every resident of the community. We will observe how the company's latest DX strategy (customer management system and app utilization) is combined with the "trust" built through face-to-face customer service.
Synergy for students: Students will analyze how cutting-edge IT tools contribute to "customer satisfaction" and "fan building," and absorb the essence of marketing strategies in real-world settings.
3. Human Resources and Corporate Culture that Support sustainable growth
The company's rapid growth, aiming for a sales target of 100 billion yen and a workforce of 1,500 by 2030, is supported by the energy of its organization. We will visit workplaces where young employees are given autonomy and gain insight into the "human resource development" and "philosophy-based management" that are at the core of sustainable growth .
Synergy for Students: How will university learning translate into future careers? Through interaction with young employees close to the same age, we will deeply consider how to be a professional who balances "personal growth" and " Society contribution" within an organization.

<2020 Customer Satisfaction Award Winners>
Company Name: i-plug Co., Ltd.
Industry: Operation of the new graduate job hunting service "OfferBox," etc.
Head Office: 8F, Gate Tower, South Building, Grand Green Osaka, 5-54 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Representative: Masato Yamada, President CEO
Established: April 18, 2012
Capital: 684 million yen (as of the end of March 2026)
Net sales : 5.756 billion yen (Fiscal year ending March 2026)
Number of employees: 324 (standalone/ Date and Time March 31, 2026)
URL: https://i-plug.co.jp

Points to note during the inspection:
1. Structural Transformation and Platform Strategies of the "New Graduate Recruitment Market" through HR Tech
From students "choosing" companies to companies "offering" to students: We will visit OfferBox, a business model that has revolutionized the conventional wisdom of new graduate recruitment.
Synergy for students: You will learn how "platform business" and "matching theory," studied in the Faculty of Commerce, resolve mismatches in existing markets and create new Society value. You will learn the practical mechanisms behind this.
2. The science of "putting the right person in the right place" and the pursuit of UX through data utilization
We will tour the inner workings of a unique, highly accurate matching system that utilizes aptitude test data. We will learn about the process of transforming vast amounts of data into customer satisfaction (CX) and highly accurate decision-making, as well as next-generation marketing perspectives.
Synergy for Students: Where does the source of "value creation" in the digital age lie? This course will explore how the integration of data science and user experience (UX) can build a competitive advantage for companies.
3. An entrepreneurial spirit that balances "solving Society issues" and "sustainable growth"
Under the vision of "becoming the most preferred platform for the younger generation who will shape the future," we will observe the growth philosophy of this company, which is expanding its business from the new graduate recruitment field to the career education field. We will learn about the organizational culture that does not fear change and the practice of "sustainable working styles" that are being disseminated from the cutting-edge base of Grand Green Osaka.
Synergy for students: By learning about the forefront of the "recruitment market," which is directly linked to their own job-hunting trends, students will gain a multifaceted perspective on their future career development. They will also experience firsthand the speed of rapidly growing listed ventures and consider "entrepreneurship," which involves solving Society issues through business.

 

[ Funai Soken Group x Kansai University] Cultivating the next generation of leaders who will drive "sustainable growth" from Osaka.pdf